The deputy international trade and industry minister, at a Kuala Lumpur forum today, was responding to criticism that the PH administration lacked the political will to see through reforms in its first year.

These included the repeal of oppressive laws, such as the Official Secrets Act and Sedition Act, and amending the Security Ordinance (Special Measures) Act, said Ong.

PH has also been criticised for backtracking on global human rights treaties, namely the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ong said a pushback from “larger political forces” had pressured PH to hold off on ratifying ICERD and the Rome Statute, which would see Malaysia acceding to ICC.

At the same time, he said, internal pressures “from elements in the Home Ministry and Immigration Department” had forced Putrajaya to shelve plans to legalise some 150,000 refugees in the country, which would allow them to secure employment and healthcare. – TMI